For Your DIYdiva: Holiday gift ideas for the badass woman in your life.

Even though I’ve done everything short of tattooing the word “GRINCH” on my forehead to make it clear that the holidays aren’t coming to my house this year, my family has still been calling incessently about Christmas plans, Christmas ideas, and things we might need for the house.

Family, we’re building a house next year, so I have three words for you:

Lowe’s. Gift. Cards.

Because here’s something that shocked me into a three-minute coma today when I was talking to my chief-supplier-of-hand-me-down-tools (also known as Dad)… I have all of the tools I need.

I know, right? Blasphemy.

Notice I said all the tools I need, not all of them I want, ’cause kids, there’s not a shop big enough in the world to hold the contents of that list awesomeness.

Consider this, however: We’re working with limited space at the moment and the project we need to plan for is building an entire house (minus the plumbing). And we’ve got the following tools at our disposal:

• Table saw
• Miter saw
• Jig saw
• Circular saw
• Sawsall
• Air compressor
• Framing nailer
• Roofing naier
• Finish nailer
• 2 drills & an impact driver
• Router
• Palm-router
• Paint sprayer
• Miscellaneous levels and hand tools
• Trowels
• Ladders
• Scaffolding
• Roto-zip
• Miscellaneous sanders
• Shop-vac
• And a partridge in a pear tree.

Aside from a second framing nailer (a little excessive except for during the month we’ll be framing the house) and some miscellaneous things I might decided I have to have mid-building-pantry-doors-from-old-barn-wood, like a biscuit joiner, dovetail jigs, or a set of dado blades… we’re pretty much set. Right? Am I missing a big one here guys?

Which leads into Kit’s Second Law of DIY: Any job can be accomplished by a short woman with a hard head and the right tools.

(Kit’s First Law of DIY? Things will always get worse before they get better, especially things involving caulk.)

Here’s the thing about women and tools. Inherently, women like tools. Because women are people. And people like anything that helps them get a job done better, quicker, and faster. But there are three things that usually stand in our way:

1. People don’t often teach us how to use them
2. They aren’t made to fit our hands
3. Most of us won’t go drop a few hundred dollars on a drill while there are Jimmy Choo’s still existing in the universe

And let me just say for the price of this:

You can own this:

…. and this….

…and this…

And hey, you can use them more than once. So let’s get down to business here. Men, I am not saying you should go buy your special lady a bag full of tools for Christmas, unless she’s a very special lady. Because some women insist on jewelry. What can I say? Some women are crazy. Can’t help you there.

What I can help you with are awesome power tools that are badass and yet woman-friendly. I know, because I own all of these AND LOVE THEM.

Tools for Chicks

1. Makita Compact 18v Lithium Ion Cordless Drill

Don’t get her a cheap-o $25 dollar pink drill. Why?

• It fits a woman’s hand without acting like an overgrown screwdriver.
• It charges in 15 minutes.
• I haven’t found something it couldn’t do yet.

2. Dremmel Rotary Tool & Accessories

Why?

• It’s a little hard-core AND a little crafty.
• You can do a ton of shit with these things.
• The flex-shaft is a must for easy use.

3. Bosch Variable-Speed Palm Router

It has more uses than you think. Why?

• Again, it fits a smaller hand and still has enough power to do almost anything you’d want a router to do.
• Why would she want one? Here’s a Readers Digest article on router uses.

4. Clamps of all shapes and sizes.

Why?

• We’re half your body weight, half as strong, and our arms are half as long. That means we need to clamp things down more so they don’t fly off the workbench and hurt someone.
• Look at those little ones, aren’t they cute?!

5. The almighty Shop-vac

Why?

• This thing can do anything your Dyson can do, but better. Except maybe clean carpet. I wouldn’t know cause I don’t own any.
• Women. Clean. Duh. (Ok, that’s a way to get hit in the head with a hammer. Especially around my house.)

6. Credit Card Multi-Purpose Tool

Why?

• Perfect for a purse.
• Because one of these times when you don’t stop for directions you’re going to end up in the middle of the wilderness with no gas or cell coverage, and then she is going to have to save your ass. Again.

7.) Pink Leatherman (Disclaimer: I do not own this, because I have a moral objection to pink tools.)

Why?

• If you just can’t help yourself and have to buy a pink tool, it might as well be one that doesn’t suck.
• Unlike the rest of these tools, it’s unlikely you will steal it from her, because your friends will make fun of you. Mercilessly.

There you have it. And now you’ve opened yourself up to the whole wide world of sharing garage space. On second thought… the jewlry might not be a bad idea.

Badass power-tool weilding women, what other tools are on your Xmas wish-list?

Possibly Related Posts

• Badass or BS? Things for around the home.
• Someone at Makita must read this website.
• Suprised I still own all ten toes.
• Suprise! (followed by Contest!)
• Crookedbroom Marathon

Tagged as: badass women, christmas list, Power Tools